The present invention relates to emergency entry tools for use by firemen and the like in rescue operations and especially to a universal tool which can be utilized for car doors, buildings and windows.
In the past it has been commen for firemen or rescue vehicles to carry firemen axes or other special tools for forcing open the doors of buildings to gain access to a building and to use crowbars and the like for forcing open car doors. There are also a variety of power tools which can be utilized for gaining entry to a car or building for putting out a fire or rescuing victims trapped in the car or building. Accident victims are frequently trapped in a wrecked vehicle with the doors and windows frozen by the damage to the vehicle. The present tool allows for the prying of a door with greater leverage than is normally used and for a base and support arm to grip one surface while the door is being pried open. The tool also provides for a striking surface and a wide variety of adjustment for gripping different surfaces for greater leverage to avoid having to bring in welding torches and cutting shears for cutting into vehicles having injured passengers in the vehicle. There have also been a variety of combination tools used for prying, hammering and cutting for a variety of purposes.
Typical combination tools may be seen in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,694,918, to Bailey, et al., for a Metal Cutting Apparatus which fulcrums a cutting blade and allows the rescue operator to enter a vehicle. The Fried U.S. Pat. No. 3,219,316, and the Tarran U.S. Pat. No. 4,287,623, each shows forceful entry tools for use in rescue operations. In the U.S. Pat. No. 1,551,035, to Kurau, and Fry. U.S. Pat. No. 1,472,517, a wrecking tool is shown and includes gripping teeth thereon. The U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,407, to Reid shows a combination tool for opening wrecked vehicles. The McChesnie U.S. Pat. No. 1,397,644, shows a combination tool while the Jones U.S. Pat. No. 1,972,147, shows a roof hook tool for removing roofing material. The Perry U.S. Pat. No. 327,821, and the Stafford U.S. Pat. No. 2,482,805, each shows tools for opening containers.
The aim of the present invention is primarily to provide a manual tool for the forcible entry into vehicles and structures in a rapid and efficient manner which has a variety of universal adjustments for operating at different angles or positions and for different types of structures.